The End of the Beginning
by Carebear19
Summary: THe Czechs left after Destiny. Fourteen years later they return to find everything has changed. Michael has a daughter, Liz is keeping a secret, and Kivar is looking for someone on earth, someone who is very close to the aliens.
1. The Journal

**Title:** The End of the Beginning  
**Genre:** Roswell  
**Rating:** Teen  
**Pairings:** Have to read and see  
**Disclaimer:** I own it all! I do I tell you! I also own live on ocean front property in Arizona... in other words I own nothings -sobs- well I own Juan, Cassie, Susie, Jamie and Stephanie... oh and Katrina, and Maria's aunt and uncle - and the horses... yeah I own a lot actually don't I? yea me!!  
**Summary:** Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess left after Destiny. Fourteen years later they're coming back to Roswell, finding everything they knew different. Maria has a daughter, Liz is married and has a son... Is there a place for them in this new world? In the 'family' they left behind?  
**Author's Notes:** Thoughts are written in brackets like this/-/ thoughts /-/ Stressed words are _italized_, as are Journal entries.

* * *

_My name is Beth Whitman, and seventeen years ago, my life changed completely. Back then, I was Liz Parker, straight A student, perfect daughter, and waitress. I had my own Prince Charming, and my life was great. Or so I thought. But, I guess I had better start at the beginning, September 1999._

_The beginning of my sophomore year, my life was planned to a tee. I was dating the star quarterback, Kyle Valenti. It didn't even bother me that his dad was the town sheriff. My best friend Alex was always around to make life easier, and I worked at my parents' café with my other best friend, Maria De Luca. Life was perfect. Then that fateful day happened, and everything changed._

_September 17, 1999, the day I died. I was at work around four-thirty, Kyle was going to stop by in half an hour, and Alex was due at six to study for math. Maria and I were covering the floor, and it was pretty quiet. The school crowd had left, and the tourist crowd wasn't due to about 5:30. In my section, like usual was Max Evens and his best friend Michael Guerin. They always sat at the same booth and ordered the same thing everyday. They were ok, Max and I were lab partners, Maria swore he had a thing for me, and Michael stayed to himself most of the time. I was by the coke machine when it happened. Two guys in Maria's section were fighting when one of them pulled a gun, something about money. Then I heard a shot go off, and the next thing I knew, Max was leaning over me asking if I was ok. Then he broke a ketchup bottle, poured the contents over me, and begged me to say that I had broken the bottle when I fell. He looked so desperate that I did what he said. Later in the bathroom with Maria, I realized what had really happened, I had been shot, and Max had brought me back from the dead._

_The next day I confronted Max, and found out that he was an alien. Talk about the shock of a lifetime. Also, his sister Isabel and Michael were aliens too, or Czechoslovakians as we called them. They had survived the crash of 1947, and had been in incubation pods till sometime around 1987, when they came out looking like normal six year olds. I told Maria, and after a confusing couple of days, the five of us were tied together with the secret. I also broke up with Kyle, which had him following us for a while. After a confusing couple of months and a number of close calls, I was dating Max, Michael and Maria were together, and Alex and Isabel were together, and the six of us were closer than we were to our own family. Then Neusedo showed up with Tess._

_We found out from Tess that she and Max were destined to be together, and Michael was suppose to be with Isabel; which of course made none of us too happy. Also, the sheriff had found out the truth, and an FBI agent was chasing us. During a fight with the agent, Kyle was shot, and would have died except Max saved him. Michael ended up killing the agent that day to save all of us._

_That day, Michael and Maria broke things off because he didn't want her hurt. Isabel and Alex had ended things a couple weeks earlier, and only Max and I were still together. Then, I went with Max and the rest of the Czechoslovakians to the 'pod chamber'. There everything changed again. Max and Isabel's mother appeared and told them about their destiny, I ran out of there as fast as I could. That was the last time we saw them. Max left a note for us; they had gone back to their planet to save their people. The Evens' were devastated. Sheriff Valenti concluded that they had run away. Neusado himself posed as the FBI agent. After disbanding the special unit and pretending to commit suicide, Neusado returned to Roswell to tell us that the four of them were going to be fine then he left. Fortunately, only Kyle was there to hear Neusado's story._

_After Max and the others left, Maria and I found out we were pregnant. Kyle was furious with Michael for leaving his eventual sister with a kid. (Still hard to believe that Jim and Amy are married.) Alex stood by me through thick and then. After we finally told our parents that we were pregnant, mine being shocked when Alex claimed responsibility for my state, the two of us went to Maria's Aunt and Uncle's home in Ireland. We were home schooled our Junior Year, and one day Alex just walked out of class and came to join us. He went through Lamaze with us and went through two months hell when the babies came._

_I went into labor a month early on December 15, 2001, a day after I turned seventeen. I had a boy with dark hair and his father's brown eyes. I named him Juan Alexander after my papa and Alex. The next month was hectic while Juan was in the hospital because of his premature state. He finally came home February 11. The next day Maria went into labor, right on time. Sixteen hours later, Alex was having his hand treated, and Maria had a baby girl named Cassandra Marie. Cassie has her mother's blonde hair and her father's brooding brown eyes. They were the only two babies the doctors had ever seen that weren't born with blue eyes._

_After we graduated from high school, Alex and I got married on October 19, 2002. Our folks came out with Jim and Amy Valenti, Mr. And Mrs. Evens, and Susie Rice who was dating Kyle. Kyle himself had come a week earlier. It was a beautiful ceremony, and we could never have been happier. Maria stood as my matron of honor, and Kyle was Alex's best man. My mom and Amy watched the babies during the ceremony, and Alex sang the song 'I Will Be Here'. Maria sang 'From this Moment On' for our wedding dance, and Maria's Aunt made a small cake._

_Then we started collage, I followed my dream to molecular biology, and Maria majored in the arts, specifically music. Alex went to med school and reformed the Whits. After collage, we settled down, and I got a job at the collage while Alex finished med school and did the clubs with Maria. We never planned to go back to Roswell other than the Valenti weddings when Amy and Jim married, and when Kyle married Susie._

_But, in the end we did go back. My job at the collage fell through, and at the same time the gigs dried up for the Whits. My folks were in a car accident and had left the café to Maria and I. So we went home, Maria and I took over the Crashdown, and Alex finished his last year of med school at New Mexico State. By this time, Alex and I were simply Al and Beth Whitman, and Maria went by Marie Valenti. The names suited us now; we weren't the same people we used to be. Only the Valenti's, Evens, and Whitman's know the truth of who we are. And they leave us be with our decision._

_It's been ten years since we returned; Juan and Cassie are freshman at West Roswell. Alex works at Roswell Memorial, and Marie and I run the Crashdown. Kyle's the sheriff now, and Jim owns a ranch out in the desert. We have a safe house hidden out there for when the war comes. Cassie and Juan have the visions too, of a war encompassing the world. A war that is not of this world. When they left, they didn't know the dangers they left behind. Kivar will come for us. For Juan, Cassie, and I. But mostly for me. Katrina came too late to help them, too late to truly help me. All she was able to do was help train us, in preparation._

_I guess that brings us to today. September 17, 2016. Cassie and Juan are working tonight, and Marie, Susie, and I are going out for a girl's night. Alex is working at Roswell Memorial, and Kyle's working till ten. Amy is getting Susie's two girls, and Jim promised to check on the kids during the night. Who knows, maybe we will finally find Marie a guy. Maybe now, with their help and this book, I can finally put the past to rest._

_Writing has always been my way of feeling, and now that I have finally written all this down I can forget the hard times and concentrate on the good times both past and yet to come. And, I can finally let them go. The four of them who were so much a part of my teen years, even now when I see the kids do something that reminds me of them. Cassie does thing like Michael all the time, I can even catch a glimpse of Tess in her when she fights us over something. And Juan had parts of Max and Isabel in him too. I guess they will never truly be gone. Yet, only Maria, Alex, Kyle, Susie, Jim, Amy, Cassie, Juan, and I know the truth. All of it. And this way, I can finally let everything go. The End of the Beginning. Well journal, got to go. Time to start anew._

Beth Whitman closed the book and locked it shut. Setting it in the wooden box on the table she locked that and put the keys back around her neck. /-/ The secrets safe for another day. No one can get in there if they wanted to. /-/ She thought and giggled as she left the room to join Marie for their afternoon out. Back in the room, the box glowed softly while Beth laughed, then it returned to looking like a simple box.


	2. Work

A/N: I almost forgot when someone is talking to someone else in their minds it's going to be written in the same brackets as thoughts but italicized so - /-/ _mind talk (for lack of a better term)_ /-/  
Day aka carebear

* * *

Cassie Valenti looked around the café. It was fairly empty, and as soon as the last two tables emptied, they could close up for the night.

"Cass, earth to Cassie."

"Huh?" Cassie said turning to look at her best friend Juan. He had his black hair in a ponytail, and was covered in grease. /-/ Boy, he defiantly needs a bath /-/ she thought.

"Your order is done. Geez girl, what you do go to the home planet," he smirked.

"Yeah, whatever," she muttered, picking the order up and taking it to the table of tourists. "Here you go, One Moon Burger with Saturn Rings, and one Will Smith special. Can I get you anything else?"

"No thank you. Were fine," the women said.

"Ok, call if you need anything," Cassie smiled, then looked up as the theme to Men in Black played. At the door were two men and two women. /-/ Probably another set of tourists /-/ she thought. "Be right with you," she called, then went back to the kitchen window to talk to Juan.

"Hey Cass. You ok?" Juan asked.

"Yeah, just tired. And I still have homework to finish up. What time is everyone due home?"

"I think mom and Aunt Marie will be home soon. Dad's not due home till late. You better go take care of those four. Go ahead and lock the door too, its almost 10 anyways."

"K, thanks Juan," Cassie went to the front doors, locked them then went over to the four sitting at table six. "Hi, I'm Cassie. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Four cherry cokes," one of the guys said, Cassie noticed he had brown hair in a ponytail.

"K, be right back," Cassie started to leave.

"Hey!" ponytail grabbed her arm, "We umm, were ready to order now..."

"Oh, ok," Cassie nodded casting a side-glance at Juan who was moving out of the kitchen. "Um, what would you like?"

"Please excuse my friend here. He hasn't slept for a couple of days so he isn't acting like himself. I'll take a Will Smith special," The other guy said. He had black hair that held back by two parts tied in back of his head.

/-/ Interesting hairstyle. I think mom wore it that way when she was nine. /-/ Cassie thought.

"I'll have an order of Saturn Rings," Ponytail said.

"I'll have a Moon Burger," one of the women said. Cassie noticed this one had long blonde hair with purple streaks.

/-/ Man these folks are weird. I'm glad Juan's here, that and Grandpa should stop by again soon. /-/ "And what can I get for you?" she said to the final women who had curly blonde hair with red streaks.

"I'll have the alien waffles. One question, why do you call waffles with strawberries and cream Alien waffles?"

"I don't know, you have to ask my Aunt, she owns the place. I'll be right back with your drinks," As Cassie walked away she heard the purple blonde say something about a girl not being there anymore since she didn't have any siblings.

"You ok?" Juan asked as Cassie gave him the order.

"Yeah, do me a favor, make us an order of Saturn Rings, and we'll have a bite."

"Sure thing, what are you up to?" Juan asked

"I want to hear their conversation. I think they're talking about your mom," She whispered.

"Ok, no prob," Juan said as she took the cherry cokes to table six and took care of the checks for the other customers. Soon it was just her, Juan, and the four. When their order was up, she took them their food.

"Ok, here you go, can I get you anything else?" Cassie asked

"No thanks," Red blonde said.

"Ok, if you need me just holler, I'm gonna take my break and get some food."

"Ok, we'll be fine. Enjoy your break," Black hair said.

"Thanks," Cassie said and headed to the kitchen.

"I got us some Tabasco sauce. Want ketchup?" Juan asked from the fridge.

"Nah You know, I have to find out their names. Thinking of them by their hair color is just weird," Cassie said keeping her voice low. She turned on the CD player to hear Michael Bolton come on. "Mom's wanting a guy again."

"Doesn't she always?" Juan countered, setting the food and Tabasco sauce on the table next to a black box with two sets of headphones. Each of them grabbed a headphone and put them on. Immediately they could hear the conversation between the four people. "Thank you Uncle Kyle for insisting on putting these in the booths," Cassie whispered.

"Well, what are we going to do now your majesty?" a voice said sarcastically.

"I think that's ponytail," Cassie whispered.

"Shut up Micky!" a feminine voice said.

"That's red-blonde," Cassie said, "So ponytail is Micky."

"Don't call me that," Micky said

"Oh, I'm sooo scared," Red blonde continued.

"Both of you stop it," The other women said.

"Oh, were so sorry princess," Micky said sarcastically.

"Purple blonde is Princess. Hmm, weird names," Cassie said with a shrug.

"Why you..." Princess began.

"Stop it all of you. Eat your food. When Cassie comes back, we'll ask her about the Parkers. Obviously Liz doesn't own the place since she didn't have any siblings. Maybe she can tell us where Liz is now," The other guy said then all that could be heard was the sound of people eating.

Juan turned the box off and placed his headphones down. "Well, they are after mom. We can't let them find her, we don't know who they are."

"I agree. I will just do my thing," Cassie said with a smirk and headed out of the kitchen. She saw Juan begin cleaning the kitchen and she started on the tables. After about twenty minutes, Juan had joined her in the front and they had just finished cleaning the place up, minus table six.

"Hey, do you guys want desert or something?" Cassie asked the group while she picked up their dishes.

"Nah, we'll just finish our drinks. But thanks anyways," Dark haired said. Cassie and Juan did their dishes real quick and checked the clock. Almost 11.

"Well, Uncle Kyle will stop by soon. If they're not gone by then, then they will be soon after," Cassie said.

"Miss..." One of the women called from the front.

"Let's go," Juan said following Cassie out.

"Yes, can I help you?" Cassie asked.

"Yes, we were wondering if you could tell us who owns this place now?" Dark haired asked.

"I'm sorry, its policy, we can't give the owner's name," Cassie said.

"Oh, well, can you tell us what happened to the Parkers then?" Dark continued.

"You know the Parkers?" Juan asked.

"Yeah, we use to live here. They aren't the owners anymore, we could tell that by the changes."

"Yeah, well they were in a car accident twelve years ago. They didn't make it," Cassie said.

"Oh no," Princess gasped. "Do you know anything about Liz?"

"Liz who?" Cassie asked

"Liz Parker," Red blonde said.

"Never heard of her," Juan said.

"Oh. What about Alex Whitman, Maria De Luca, or Sheriff Valenti and his son Kyle. Are they still around here?" dark haired asked.

"Kyle Valenti is the sheriff now, his dad retired about four years ago and lives a couple miles out of town. I've never heard of anyone named De Luca, and the only Whitman I know is Juan. Do you know an Alex Whitman?" Cassie asked.

"No, I've never met an Alex Whitman. Sorry folks," Juan said.

"Oh, ok thanks anyways. I guess we better get out of here. Do you know if the Evens' are still around town?"

/-/ _Juan, why are they asking about everyone? What if they're from the planet?_ /-/ Cassie called in her mind.

/-/ _Chill Girl_ /-/ Juan thought back then said "No, I've heard stories about the Evens', seems their kids ran away from home some sixteen years ago. Everyone says they left a couple of years later. Some stories say they went crazy."

The princess women gave a quick gasp when Juan said 'crazy'. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"I'm just telling you what I've heard," Juan said

"They're lying," Micky said.

"What?" Cassie asked.

"You're lying. None of that's true," He said getting up.

"Listen buddy, you can believe what you like, but you have to leave now, the sheriff will be by soon, if you don't leave now, I'll have you arrested," Juan said stepping between Cassie and the man.

"Oh, aren't you brave," Micky taunted. Before he could do anything, Dark haired grabbed his arm. Then they heard laughter from the back.


	3. Their Story

Beth Whitman unlocked the door to her house while listening to Susie talk about the latest exploits of her kids.

"..Then Stephanie came back into the room saying 'Mr. Saddam, the wars still on. We talked it over, and we now have an air force. We fixed up old McPherson's crop duster with a few guns. And we got three more men to make sixteen'.

"Then Jaime replied 'well, I'm glad to hear that, but I have 10,000 airplanes, 500 tanks, and my army has increased to two million since we last talked'.

"Then Stephanie said 'Mr. Saddam, I'll be back'. And she left the room again. A minute later she came back and said 'Mr. Saddam, we talked it over, and we have to call off the war'.

"Jaime replied, 'I'm sorry to hear that Paddy, but I have to ask, why the change of heart'.

"Stephanie looked at her real seriously and said 'well sir, we talked about it, and decided there is no way we can house and feed two million prisoners',"

The three of them began laughing. Beth was the first to stop. "Why are the lights still on? Those two should be upstairs already," she said as she walked into the front of the café and stopped abruptly. Marie stood next to her, with Susie behind them.

"Umm, I think I'll get out of here. Talk to you guys tomorrow," Susie said going out the way she had come while taking her cell phone out and dialing her husband.

"Cassie, Juan come over here," Beth said. The two hurried over. Then Marie got her voice back.

"_What_ is going on? It's after _eleven_, you were suppose to close at _ten_."

"We did, but they got here just before then, and have been here eating," Cassie said.

"They were just leaving," Juan said.

"No we weren't. _Not _until we know the truth," Micky said.

"I don't know who you think you are, but when you are asked to leave, you_ leave_."

Everyone looked towards the door and saw the sheriff standing there.

"_Kyle_?" red-blonde said.

"I will say one thing, you four sure have changed. What happened to your hair Tess? Isabel?" Kyle asked.

"Juan go call your father. Cassie go with him," Beth said quietly. After they left the room, she locked the door and sat down with Marie near the table where the others had congregated.

"Beth, Marie are the kids gonna be out of the way?" Kyle asked.

"Of course," Beth said quietly. "I'm not _that_ stupid."

"So, what _finally_ brought you back here?" Marie asked them.

"Wait a minute, _you_ know _us_?" red blonde said.

"Yeah, and you know them. And Beth's husband Al," Kyle said sitting down next to Beth. "You know them _really_ well."

Isabel looked at the two girls. One of the women had jet-black hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. Her eyes were green, and at first she thought of Maria, but this girl's eyes were full of pain and hurt. Maria's were never like that. The other girl had short red hair in a bob. And pale blue eyes that also held a hint of pain. But there was happiness there too. Isabel assumed she was Beth, upon seeing the diamond ring on her left hand. The diamond solitaire on a silver band with a matching wedding band looked oddly familiar, but she couldn't remember why. "Yeah, and you know them. And Beth's husband Al," Kyle said sitting down next to Beth. "You know them _really_ well." /-/ Wait, could they possibly be Maria and Liz/-/ Isabel thought. /-/ But why the name changes/-/

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember anyone named Beth, Al, or Marie," Tess said.

"Well, let me introduce myself. I'm Beth Whitman. You already met my son Juan. This is Marie Valenti, Cassie's her daughter."

"Beth, let us in," a voice called from behind the back door.

"I'll get them," Kyle said forcing Beth back into her seat and going to open the door allowing Al and the kids back in. Al stopped immediately upon seeing the four visitors.

"Al, we have some company," Marie said quietly. The kids pulled up chairs and Al walked over to his wife and knelt down next to her.

"Are you ok?" he asked looking at her face for any sign otherwise.

"Yeah, have a seat. They don't remember us," Beth said.

"Your right, we don't remember you. So _who_ are you people?" Michael asked standing up again.

"Sit down Michael," Marie said quietly.

"Look lady, _don't _tell me what to do," He said and continued to stand. Marie stood up and looked him in the eye.

"I'll tell you _anything _I _want_ to Michael Guerin. That's _my_ right since you _left_ me behind when you ran off to save your _precious_ little world. And _destroyed _everyone important to us in this town!" Marie yelled.

Suddenly a look of recognition appeared of Michael's face. "Maria?! _What_?" and he sat back down with a thud.

/-/ Oh my... that means Al is Alex /-/ Isabel thought.

"Took you long enough Bozo. Yes, _I_ was Maria, _she_ was Liz, and _he_ was Alex. I swear you guys have lost any brains some of you _might _have had," Marie said sitting down with a huff, and her arms crossed over her chest.

"Would you _please _tell us what the _hell_ is going on?" Isabel asked, her ice princess attitude coming back.

"Us too," Cassie said quietly.

"First of all, Juan, Cassie, meet Max Evens," Marie said pointing to Dark haired. "Isabel Evens" pointing to Princess. "And..."

"Let me guess, Michael Guerin and Tess Harding" Juan said.

"Yeah. Alright, I'll begin," Kyle sighed then took a deep breath. "It all began about a week after you left..."

**:-:-: _Flashback_ :-:-: **

Kyle Valenti sat down at his usual place and watched Liz and Maria rush around. They were too busy. They couldn't be doing good considering the resident Czechs had left a week ago. Kyle sat there watching them for a few minutes. He was brought back to the present when Alex Whitman sat down across from him.

"What are you doing Whitman?" Kyle asked with a hiss.

"Talking to you Valenti," Alex replied casually.

"About what?"

"Our girls, what else?"

"What are you _talking_ about Alex. We don't have _'girls'_."

"Kyle quit trying to act tough. We _both _know you still care about Liz, and you care about Maria too. Besides, your dad's seeing Mrs. De Luca. You may as well be family."

"_Shut up_ Whitman. All right, I_ am_ worried about them. But what can we do?" The two continued to watch the girls wondering how they could help them.

"Maria, are you ok? You are really pale?" Liz asked her best friend.

"Oh sure, I'm fine. It's nothing..." Maria began, then took off towards the bathroom as fast as she could; Liz was right on her heels. The girls spent about fifteen minutes in the bathroom, and finally came out to find two very pale friends waiting at the bathroom door.

"Maria are you ok?" Alex asked.

"Yes, I just haven't been feeling well," Maria answered.

Ok, Do you need anything?" Alex asked

"No," Maria began.

"Yes!" Liz interrupted, "I need you to do me a big favor."

"Anything," Kyle said

"I need you to go to the drugstore and pick up a pregnancy test," Maria said quietly

"_WHAT_???" Kyle asked

"Make it two. Now go," Liz said pushing them out the door.

**:-:-:**

Later that afternoon, Liz and Maria were sitting on the Valenti couch. Kyle was pacing and Alex was staring off in space when the timer went off. Liz slowly got up and walked across the room with Maria on her heels. They stopped at the table and picked up their tests. Both of them had two pink lines.

**:-:-: _End Flashback_ :-:-:**

"We eventually told our parents. I thought my Dad would have been furious, I was only sixteen. He didn't say anything. He _did_ punch Alex though," Beth said.

"That _hurt_ too," Al said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, they always said that was the biggest surprise. _Almost_ as much as the news that Max, Isabel, Michael, and Tess had run away," Beth said quietly.

"I know, my mom was so angry, then she just cried," Marie said

"I don't blame her. At the time, _I_ wanted to kill Michael," Kyle said. "After the folks found out, the girls went to stay with Marie's Aunt and Uncle in Ireland."

"My turn," Marie said taking a deep breath.

**:-:-: _Flashback_ :-:-: **

"Liz honey, where are you?" Maria called through the house.

"I'm in the living room."

"Liz, guess what!"

"What?" Liz called.

"Alex is coming."

"What? When?" Liz asked meeting her in the doorway.

"Come on, let's sit down first. I swear, I _never_ thought I would be so _big_," Maria said as she sat down on the couch and put her feet up.

"You're seven months pregnant, what do you expect?" a voice called from the doorway.

"Oh, hey Aunt Maggie," Maria said.

"Hey girls, just to let you know, we're picking Alex up at the airport tonight. You can come or stay. It's up to you..."

"_Go_!" they both said at once.

**:-:-: **

That night at the airport Maria and Liz sat discussing baby names with Maria's Uncle.

"I like Cassandra Marie, what do you think?" Maria asked

"I love it. What about a boy?" Liz asked.

"It's a girl Liz."

"Just to be safe though you might want to pick a boy name."

"Oh Uncle Henry, but I _know_ its gonna be a girl. However, to please you, for a boy I'm thinking Michael Alexander."

"_Really_ Maria, I never thought you would do that. Henry, where is Maggie?" Liz asked

"Getting us something to drink, I'll go help her," Henry said before he left across the waiting area.

"Now, you _really _aren't planning on naming your baby Michael are you? I thought you _hated _the name right now," Liz said.

"I do. _That's_ why I said I would name a boy Michael, because I know _she _isn't going to be a boy. Now, what about you?"

"Juan Alexander," Liz said.

"After your grandfather and Alex?"

"Yes."

"What about a girl?" Maria said with a smile.

"What girl?" Liz said, then they both started laughing uncontrollably.

"Girls, what's so funny?"

"Oh nothing Uncle Henry," Maria said

"Good, because the planes here. Let me help you two up.

The three of them made their way to the debarking area. Soon the passengers started making their way off the plane.

Maria was the first to see Alex. "Aleeeex!" she shrieked as Alex ran towards her and gave her a hug. Then he turned to Liz. She hugged him, and soon the five of them were on their way.

**:-:-: _End Flashback_ :-:-:**

"He became our Lamaze coach. And a month later he came in handy," Marie said.

"Yeah, well we celebrated Beth's seventeenth birthday on the fourteenth of December. Then the next day the fun began," Al said.

**:-:-: _Flashback_ :-:-:**

"Liz, are you ok?" Alex called through the door.

"Alex, where's Maggie?"

"Do you want me to get her?" he called.

"Yes please," Liz called back.

Alex got Maggie and stood outside while she was in the room.

"Alex, get Henry, we're going to the hospital."

"Now? It's too early!"

"Well, this baby is coming now," Maggie said.

**:-:-: **

Ten hours later Henry was sitting in the waiting room with Maria when Alex came out. "Is she ok?" Marie asked

"Yeah, Baby Juan weighs 4 pounds 13 ounces and is 17 1/2 inches long. Brown hair and his father's eyes. Where's Maggie?"

"Getting coffee," Henry said.

"Ok..."

**:-:-:_ End Flashback_ :-:-:**

"On January 11th, Juan came home. The next day we were back at the hospital," Al said.

**:-:-: _Flashback_ :-:-:**

"Maria, what's her name?

"Cassandra Marie Valenti."

"It's beautiful, like her."

"Thanks Alex, how's your hand?"

"It'll heal," Alex smiled at her then winced while the nurse continued wrapping his hand. "Just remind me to _never_ play thumb war with you again," He said.

A few minutes later he went out to the waiting room and took baby Juan from Liz.

"Are you ok?" Liz asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm just great."

"Your hand," she said quietly.

"It'll heal."

"Alright," she replied, then the two of them continued to watch Juan.

**:-:-: _End Flashback_ :-:-: **

"Yeah, that was a rough time," Beth began. "We finished High School through correspondence with West Roswell, and we flew back to graduate with our class in June of 2002. Al and I got married on October 19, 2002. The three of us moved to Waldorf, Maryland. I majored in Molecular Biology at MSU, and Marie majored in the arts, specifically music, at a community college. Al started Med School at Georgetown, and reformed the Whits with Marie singing.

"After Marie and I finished collage, she continued doing the clubs, and I got a job at Georgetown. After the accident, my folks left Marie and I the Crashdown, and things in Maryland went south so we came back. Al finished his last year of med at NMU, and then got a job at Roswell Memorial,"

"Whoo, you guys never told us all this mom," Cassie said.

"Yeah, well it wasn't something we liked to talk about," Al said quietly.

"One question, why the name change?" Michael asked.

"We stopped being the Liz Parker, Alex Whitman, and Maria DeLuca people knew after you guys left. A lot of things built up, and we just did what we thought was best for us and the kids," Marie said looking towards the front of the restaurant.

"Liz and I became Beth and Al Whitman. No one ever asked anything, and it's not like they can go ask all of our folks about it. Maria became Marie Valenti. The names suit us now. We aren't the idealistic people we were. We've changed," Al finished with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Why Valenti? Did you and Kyle get married?" Isabel asked.

"I hope not, his wife would kill me," Marie said with a laugh.

"_You_?! They would_ never_ find my body," Kyle said, "Actually, my dad and Amy got married a couple months before Beth and Al."

"Yeah, Kyle's wife came in with us earlier," Beth said then turned towards Kyle, "Did Susie call you?"

"Yes, she did call him. Then us a minute later," A voice said from the back.

"Grandpa, what are you doing here?" Cassie asked.

"I thought I should drop by after Susie picked up the girls. Amy wanted me to check and make sure everything was ok between you guys and the returning aliens," Jim Valenti said as he walked toward the front of the building.

"We're ok dad. Just reliving the past," Kyle said.

"Ok then, hello Max. Michael. Isabel. Tess. It's been a long time. We'll talk later," Jim said, before he walked out the front door. "Call me girls," He called back as the door closed.

"Wait a minute. Amy knows?" Michael asked

"Oh Yeah. We didn't tell her till after Cassie had connected with her at their wedding though," Kyle said and laughed to himself.

"That was _not _funny. I thought she was going to have a heart attack. Then when she came _out _of her shock she yelled at me for almost an hour about keeping secrets from her and putting myself in trouble. And she _still_ didn't even know what was really going on. Poor Jim had to sit her down and explain everything since I couldn't say a word without getting _twenty more_ in response. And Beth and Al were trying to explain things to Susie and Mr. And Mrs. Evens without them figuring out the truth too," Marie said exasperated.

"Come on, looking back don't you think it was funny. After all, I think it was _hilarious_ and_ I'm_ the one who got stuck with the two ragamuffins," Kyle said laughing.

"Does anyone else know?" Max asked.

"One question first. _How_ could you cheat on Max like that?" Tess asked

"_What_?" Max exclaimed.

"Well, if Juan is Alex's son, and he was born a month early in December, that _means_ that he was conceived in _May_. We left in _June_," Tess said smugly.

"Tess!" Max said with a hint of anger in his voice, then turned back to the others. "We had better go. It _is_ getting late. Can we meet again?"

"Yeah, tomorrow's Saturday, we close after noon. Stop by then," Al said

"Alright," Max said as the four aliens stood up.

"One thing first," Cassie said standing up and walking over to the four of them with Juan right behind her. "This is for hurting my family," She said then slapped Isabel and Tess.

"And this is for hurting my mom and Aunt particularly and my dad and uncle as well," Juan said punching Michael then Max.

"Juan Alexander!" Beth and Al yelled at the same time.

"Cassandra Marie!" Marie and Kyle yelled at the same time as Beth and Al.

"Go to your rooms. You're opening in the morning. We'll deal with this then," Al said quietly but with the hint of authority.

"It's ok. See you tomorrow," Max said then left the restaurant with the others in tow.


	4. At The Hotel

A/N: This takes place at the same time as Chapter 5 and Chapter 6

* * *

Isabel sat on the bed and contemplated what they had just seen. "Do you believe them?" 

"What else _can_ we believe? It's _probably_ true that Cassie is Michael's," Max said.

"Huh? Hey, why so sure Maxwell?"

"Because, she has your eyes Michael."

"_Oh_, well what about the other kid? Do you _really_ think he is Alex's?"

"I don't know, I _never_ would have thought Liz would cheat, let alone Alex. But _why_ would they lie?"

"Why worry about it. _Obviously_ they don't want us in their lives, so let's leave and start our own together," Tess said coming out of the bathroom.

"_No_, I don't care if they don't want us in their lives romantically. They're _family_, and they are the only _true_ friends we've ever had. So _I'm_ staying."

"Isabel, they are _not_ family. And if they were _really_ our friends, _why_ would they lie to us?" Tess asked.

"_What_?" Isabel and Max asked at once.

"Well, first of all, they are not our family. _We_ are family. They are just people we once knew. And they_ lied_ to us about Liz's kid," Tess said as she sat on the bed.

"What did they lie about Tess? Juan is a normal kid. _And_ he has Alex's hair color so we can assume that he is Alex's child," Max said quietly.

"_No_!" Tess yelled, and then more quietly, "He _can't _be Alex's kid. Or else our so called friends lied to us before about their humanity."

"What? Tess are you off your rocker? Of _course_ they are human. What _else_ would be they be?" Isabel asked standing up.

"Either Max is Juan's father, _or _Alex or Liz aren't human," Tess said calmly.

"Tess you _are_ nuts. Too many years living on another planet has you making up stories about this one," Michael said.

"I'm _not _lying. Juan_ is_ one of us. Before Liz and Maria came home, Juan and the girl..." Tess began.

"Cassie." Max supplied.

"Yeah, Cassie, well they were talking in their minds. _No_ human can do that."

"Maybe _they_ can because Cassie is one of us. I don't _want_ to believe they cheated either, but why would they lie about whether or not Juan is Max's kid. So for now we just assume that Juan_ is_ Alex's, and that he is normal all right? Now, I suggest we sleep, _that's _what I'm going to do. _Goodnight_," Michael said turning the lights off.


	5. On The Balcony

A/N: This takes place at the same time as Chapter 4 and Chapter 6

* * *

Beth Whitman stood on her old balcony staring at the stars. "Beth, are you alright?"

She turned towards the house where her husband was standing. "I don't know."

"It's the Czechs _right_?" Al said knowingly as he walked over to her.

"_Yes_. Things are going to change again," She said turning back towards the stars.

"Yeah," Al said pulling her close.

"How much do we tell them?" Beth asked as they both stood facing the stars.

"I don't know. Do you think Max deserves to know?"

"He_ is_ Juan's father. But, I_ really_ don't know. On the other hand, _Juan _deserves the chance to know his heritage."

"No!"

Beth and All both turned back towards the house to see their son. "Juan?" Beth asked.

"No mom, I _have_ a dad. I don't _need_ Max. And I _know_ my heritage. All that is important to me is that _we_ stay together. My home is _here_, and my family is here. _That's_ enough," Juan said walking towards them.

"Are you _sure_? There are some things we _can't_ tell you. Some things we _don't _know. And we will_ never_ know," Al said.

"More than that, we've done the _best_ we can with your powers. Maybe _they_ can help you more," Beth said placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Mom," Juan said taking he hand, "You did enough. We are _fine_. You did ok," He finished and gave her a hug.

"Thanks, I _needed _that," Beth said fighting tears.

"I know," Juan said.

"Ok, we _won't_ tell Max. We'll leave it up to you," Al said.

"Ok, night mom, night dad," Juan said returning to the house.

"Well, that takes care of _one _problem," Al said.

"_One_? What other problem_ is_ there?" Beth said sitting down on the lawn chair.

"Max," Al said sitting down next to her.

"What about him?"

"We_ both_ know he broke your heart. And at times I wonder if he broke your _soul_ too," Al said.

"You know that it is_ impossible_ to break your soul."

"Yeah, but if you had _seen _yourself..." Al said bitterly. "You would believe that. It's just... _Oh hell_," Al said turning and taking Beth's hand, "If you want to go back to him, I won't stand in your way,"

Beth stared at him for a minute before smacking him over the head. "Alexander Charles Whitman don't you _ever_ talk like that _again_!"

"But Beth..."

"No buts, don't you realize that I_ can't_ live without you? Max can _never_ replace you. The Max I loved is a high school memory. He doesn't even _exist _anymore. The _man _I love is _you_. I've loved you for years. We have something I _wouldn't_ give up for the world. _You_ are my soul mate. _No one else_. Together, no one can hurt us. I would _never_ leave you for Max or _anyone else_ for that matter. _Don't_ you know that?"

"I _know_, I just wanted to give you the chance. Just like _I_ know _you _would do the same for me," Al said then placed his finger on Beth's lips when she started to talk. "I just choose to _not_ repeat your whole speech," Al finished then he softly kissed her. "Come on, we better get some sleep," And the two of them went back in the house.


	6. The Photo Album

A/N: This takes place at the same time as Chapter 4 and Chapter 5

* * *

"Momma," Cassie called through the door.

"Come on in."

Cassie walked in the room. Her mom sat on the bed with a worn leather book. "Looking at the past again?" Cassie asked sitting down next to her mom.

"Yeah. Tonight really threw me for a loop. He looks the same. Just longer hair and a few more scars..."

"Well, maybe he _hasn't _changed that much. Can I look at the book?"

"_Again_?" Marie teased before handing her the book.

Cassie opened the book and looked at the old pictures of her Mom, Aunt, and Uncle when they were kids. After a few pages, the pictures were of them as teens. Her Mom singing with the Whits, working at the Crashdown, and school events. Then the three of them joined her family. Max and Liz studying, Isabel and Alex dancing, and Maria fighting with Michael. One group picture, then it was just her Mom, Aunt, and Uncle Al, and Kyle again. Her Mom and Aunt pregnant, the babies, herself and Juan. Birthdays, weddings, school, working at the Crashdown, all the events in their lives up till their first day of high school.

"Mom, do you still love him?" Cassie asked.

"I still love _my_ Michael. But the Michael you met, I don't think he is _my Michael_ anymore," Marie said with a sigh.

"Knock Knock. You two still awake?"

"Yeah Juan, come on in," Cassie called. Juan walked in and set on the beanbag by the bed.

"Mom and Dad are on the balcony," Juan said.

"Talking about the Czechs," Marie said, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, we're not going to tell Max," Juan said

"You're not?" Cassie asked surprised.

"No, I may in the future. But we decided that it is my decision,"

"Good for you," Marie told him with a small smile.

"Mom?" Cassie asked.

"Yes?"

"Can I keep the book tonight?"

"Sure, now scat. I need my beauty sleep."

"Sure Mom, whatever," Cassie said standing up and walking out the door.

"Night Aunt Marie," Juan said following Cassie out.

"The end of the beginning," Maria whispered.


	7. The Aliens' Side

Marie Valenti looked around the restaurant. Juan and Cassie were doing homework at one of the booths. Al and Kyle were eating lunch and talking about something. /-/ Probably politics /-/ she thought. And Beth was at the counter working on the books. Marie made her way over to Beth and sat down. "How are the books?"

"Almost done. Should have the final price soon."

"Really? Your quick this week," Marie exclaimed.

"Not really. She woke up at four and started then," All said coming up behind them.

"Nervous," Marie teased Beth.

"Leave me alone Marie."

"Nope, I'm just gonna sit here with you till your done, and_ then_ we are going to take a walk down memory lane with our loved ones and a few people we use to know quite well."

"Who all is coming to this thing today?" Al asked

"Everyone involved," Marie told them.

"Everyone?" Kyle asked joining them at the counter.

"Yup, your Dad, my Mom, Susie, everyone,"

"Where are the girls going?" Kyle asked

"Your mother-in-law's," Marie said with a smile as Kyle shuddered.

Then the familiar tune played as the door opened. Max, Michael, Isabel, and Tess walked in slowly. "Hello, are we early?" Isabel asked.

"No, the others are late, you're right on time. Come on, we'll go to the living room," Al said.

"The _others_?" Michael asked.

"Yeah, Jim's coming," Marie began

"We're here," Jim said coming through the door with Amy and Susie.

"What are _you _doing here?" Tess sneered.

"We are involved in this, we have a_ right_ to know too," Jim said.

"Involved in what, a high school reunion?" Isabel asked.

"Cut the crap Isabel. We all know the truth, you four aren't human, _so what_. Your _still _family. My granddaughter isn't human. You think I care? _No_! Now, _stop_ the secretive routine and lets all sit down and get this over with so we can figure out the next steps to take," Amy said walking towards the aliens.

"Umm ok. However, who else knows?" Max asked

"Just Susie. The _only_ people who know are those directly involved. _Someday_ we'll tell Kyle's kids, but right now they are too young," Beth said getting up. "Now, shall we all go back to the living room?" she continued before walking through the back door.

**:-:-: **

Juan looked around the living room, to his right was Cassie, who was stretched out on the floor. Next to her were Amy and Jim on the loveseat, on the other side of Jim was Max in one of the restaurant chairs. Michael was on the couch with Tess and Isabel, next to them were Kyle and Susie, Kyle was in a chair and Susie had Marie's beanbag. Marie was next in a whicker chair, and then his mom and dad sat together. His dad was in the other chair and his mom sat on the floor leaning against his dad's legs, he himself was in his beanbag chair.

They had already been here for an hour or two, the Czechs had asked Cassie about her powers and they had been just going on and on about their time on their planet.

"Excuse me," Susie said interrupting Tess.

"Yes?" Max asked

"I know I speak for everyone when I ask, but _why_ did you come back?"

"Well that's a bit difficult to explain," Max began

"Difficult my foot Maxwell. We came back because we _can't_ defeat Kivar without some _chosen one_. Who ever the _hell _he is. Anyways, we were told that they sent him to Earth too, so we came back," Michael said.

"Straight to the point_ aren't_ you? If _that's _why you came back, then _why _are you here?" Cassie asked.

"We are here, because even through all that we have done, our _hearts _have been here. _This_ is our home. We can just _hope_ you guys will take us back as friends _someday_," Isabel trailed off while staring at her hands, which were in her lap.

"Speak for yourself," Tess mumbled.

"Tess, if you _don't _want to be here, _why_ did you even come back? We all know you've _hated_ us from the beginning, so get over your anxiety _or_ leave. I know I speak for Al and myself when I say that you _won't _have to wait forever to be friends. We can start again _today_. I know that there will be some problems, _particularly_ between Max, Al, and I. And _probably_ between certain people, which _is_ to be expected. But we'll _deal _with them. And _maybe_ we can even help you find this chosen one. It will be like old times again," Beth said.

"Thank you Liz, I mean _Beth_," Isabel said softly.

"She's right, I'm willing to try and be friends," Kyle said.

"Me too," Marie said quietly.

"Maybe this time we can _all_ be friends," Jim added.

"Thanks," Michael said.

"You don't know how_ much_ this means to us," Max told them.

"Alright, I _guess_ I'll stick around too," Tess said.

"Alright, that's over with. Now, on to the next problem. _Names_," Cassie said.

"Names?" Isabel asked.

"Yeah, you guys can't be you anymore," Jim said.

"_Why_?" Tess asked

"Too many questions if we all showed up again. Could lead to trouble," Max explained.

"Yeah, you four need new identities," Marie said

"Well, like what?" Isabel asked

"You could do what we did, small changes," Beth said.

"Yeah. Michael could be Mike, ummm," Cassie began.

"Aren't Michael and Tess siblings?" Juan asked

"Yeah, so," Tess asked.

"What about Mike Hardings?" Juan asked.

"You know, I actually like it," Michael said.

"Good, who's next? Isabel?" Cassie asked

"How about Belle?" Amy asked

"I could get use to that again," Isabel said

"Belle what?" Susie asked

"How about Belle Ravens?" Marie asked

"Ravens?" Al asked with a smile, "_How_ did you get _Ravens_?"

"It's the closest thing to _Evens_ that makes any sense."

"Oh, ok. What do you think Isabel?" Beth asked shaking her head slightly at Marie

"I like it. So, what would Max be? Max Ravens?" Isabel asked

"That works. What about Tess?" Max asked

"I got it. Teresa Michaels," Amy said with a giggle.

"_Michaels_??? It sounds like I _belong _to him."

"No, you'rr family. There's a difference," Marie said knowingly.

"Yeah, you can get use to it right?" Kyle asked

"I guess so."

"Ok, umm, I think we should stop for now," Beth said. "Give us some time to think and relax. I mean get use to the idea..."

"Yeah, we should stop for now," Al said looking closely at Beth.

/-/ _Cassie. Mom's not doing good. Get your mom's attention, we have to get them out here now, before she has another attack_ /-/ Juan thought.

/-/ _Alright, you get their attention, I'll get mom's and Kyle's_ /-/ Cassie thought back.

"Hey, why don't you guys stop by tomorrow. Maybe we can watch movies or something," Juan said.

"Yeah. Tomorrow would be a good day. I just remembered we have something to do in about ten minutes," Marie said standing up and ushering the Czechs and the majority of the Valenti's out. "We'll see you guys later," She said shutting the door.


	8. On Their Own

Mike looked around the apartment. It was perfect for them, three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms.

"What do you think?"

"I think it's just what we need," Mike said turning to Max.

"Yeah, it's perfect for us. Can we afford it though?"

"I'm pretty sure we can. We all have our jobs, and I think it's time we got out of Jim and Amy's house," Teresa said joining them.

Mike thought back over the two months. After they had found out he had a daughter and their friends still wanted them around, they had been informed that they were staying with Jim and Amy until they got their own place. They had enjoyed getting to know everyone again. Jim was such a different person than they had thought. He worked with wood a lot, and was actually a really nice guy. He was great for Amy too. She was happier and more accepting that he remembered.

The others had changed too. Liz's hair was short, really short, and red. Her eyes were pale blue now too, they figured she wore contacts. She went by Beth now, and she was married. That was the biggest shock, she was married to Alex, who went by Al and had a ponytail. He was a Doctor, and he looked pretty much the same except his personality had changed. He and Beth had changed, in more ways that just their appearances. There were a lot of little things; one was the fact they never talked about what had happened during the years while the four of them were gone.

Then there was Juan. Juan was their son, and if what they said was true, then Liz and Alex had been together before they left. Which meant that Liz cheated on Max. None of them could believe she would have done that, especially Max, but it seemed that they were wrong. And that was killing Max, even though he never talked about it. Mike was afraid one day Max would just lose it, they all hoped that would never happen though. They knew that if he bottled his feelings up long enough, it wasn't a pretty sight.

Maria was going by Marie now, Marie Valenti. She had changed her name after Jim and Amy got hitched. Her hair was longer, a lot longer. It was straight too, which was strange since he remembered her hair being slightly curly, and it was jet black. Her eyes were still green, but they didn't light up like they use to. Like Al and Beth, she never talked much about the past.

Kyle was the sheriff now; he looked the same, and was an ok guy after all. His wife's name was Susie, and she was really nice. She didn't even seem to care that they weren't quite normal. She had long raven hair, and black eyes. Mike thought he had heard somebody saying something about her being an Indian, but he couldn't really remember. They had two girls, Stephanie and Jaime. Stephanie looked like her mom, and was eleven. Jaime had her dad's hair and eyes, and was nine. The girls were cute, and they loved to tell stories.

Juan was fifteen. He had long brown hair in a ponytail like Alex and brown eyes. He was quite tall for his age, 5'9"; and he was very protective of his family. Tess was convinced he was one of them, but she was just nuts. He was just like a typical teenager, with a hell of a right hook.

Juan's best friend was Cassie. Maria's daughter, and his. Mike still couldn't believe he was a father. He never thought he would have a kid, especially one like Cassie. Cassie had her mother's curly blonde hair and his brown eyes. She was about her mother's height and had Maria's temper. And his stubbornness, she even had a bit of Teresa in her. Which only showed up when she was really angry about something.

The Czechs themselves had changed too. Max went by Max Ravens now, and kept his hair long like it was on the home planet. He wasn't the same as he was as a teenager, then again none of them were. He's working at the UFO Museum again, which gave them a lot to tease him about. Also he was taking night classes in Law, which was a really good pursuit for him.

Isabel was working as a waitress at the Crashdown; she was also studying to be a nurse. After everything on the other planet, Isabel decided she wanted to help people instead of fighting them. She went by Belle Ravens now and cut her hair so that it was shoulder length and she dyed it brown. It actually looked quite good on her and she was still turning guys down left and right.

Tess went by Teresa Michaels now, and worked as a cashier at the grocery store. She loves the job and decided to skip collage. She was still pining for Max, but now it's not just because of the whole destiny thing. She really loves him. Her appearance is the same as when they came back. Long curly blonde hair with red streaks. She just tells people that she grew up in New York, and that she's mhis half-sister who just found him a year ago; everyone believed them.

He went by Mike Hardings now, and his hair was longer and in a ponytail. No one recognized him, so there were no problems there. He was working as a security guard at a store in Santa Fe, and the pay was pretty good. He's still trying to convince Maria to trust him again, and was trying to get Cassie to let him in. It hasn't been easy, but it was working slowly, at least with Cassie. Maria still seemed to hate him.

"Mike. Hello are you in there?" Teresa asked pulling him from his musings.

"What? Oh Yeah. So are we getting the place?"

"Yeah, we figure it's for the best," Max said.

"Ok, well then, I'll go get the landlord," Belle said as she left the room.

"Its funny after all we've been through were back here again, facing a whole new journey," Max said quietly.

"Yeah, kind of like a whole new life, like we finished one and are beginning another," he agreed

"Yeah, the end of the beginning," Teresa said quietly.


	9. The House

Just to helpfully avoid confusion - the gang is known by their new names now:

Max - Max Ravens  
Michael - Mike Hardings  
Isabel - Belle Ravens  
Tess - Teressa Michaels  
Liz - Beth Whieman  
Alex - Al Whitman  
Maria - Marie Valenti

* * *

Belle Ravens looked at her friends and family. They had all gathered at Jim and Amy's Ranch for Beth's birthday. She was thirty-three today. Tomorrow her son would be sixteen. Belle shook her head, it was still hard to believe Beth and Al had a son. Her Alex. No, he wasn't her Alex anymore. He was Al, and he and Beth were happy together. It still hurt to realize that she had lost him, but she was moving on. She had started seeing Susie's brother, Chris. She liked him a lot, and he didn't ask too many questions which was good.

A lot had changed since they came back, but, they were part of the group again, and, other than being unable to get to the pod chamber, as someone had bought the property it was on...

But, enough of that, back to today. Beth hadn't looked this happy as long as they'd been back. Her eyes were sparkling and she looked like the girl they knew in High School. They were riding horses around the ranch. Beth and Al were leading the way. After them, was Marie, herself, Mike, Juan, Cassie, Max, Kyle, and Teresa. Amy and Susie were back at the house with the girls.

"Where are we going?" Teresa called.

"We're almost there," Beth called back, taking a right turn.

"Are we even still on your property? This place looks familiar," Mike said

"Yeah, we bought a pretty large area," Jim told him.

The group continued for a little while until they saw a cabin. The cabin was two stories and looked more like a house rather than a cabin.

"Whose house is that?" Max asked

"Are you sure we are still on your property?" Belle asked

"Yes. This is still my property," Jim answered as they entered an overhang for the horses, complete with a trough and hay. Then the group made their way inside after Beth unlocked the door. The four aliens looked around in shock. In the front room were two couches, a table, and multiple chairs. The kitchen was quite large as well, along with a pantry, which was stocked to the brim with canned food and boxes of other types of food. There was also a freezer with meats, cheeses, breads, and all sorts of freezable items.

There was a back door, and then they went upstairs to investigate. There were seven bedrooms, all with either a double bed or bunk beds built into the walls. There were also two bathrooms upstairs and another downstairs, and a set of stairs leading to the attic. In the attic, there was another bedroom, and boxes upon boxes

Belle turned to Beth and Al, "What is this place?" she asked

"It's our escape, our place to fight the war we face," Beth told them.


	10. Beginning To Learn The Truth

Marie sat on the couch with Juan and Kyle. Her daughter, Cassie, sat leaning against Juan's legs. On the other couch were Jim, Al, and Beth. Teresa and Belle sat on the two chairs next to Beth, with Mike standing behind Teresa. Max was pacing the room in front of them.

"What in the _name_ of all that is good are you _talking_ about?" Max asked, or rather yelled.

"Max, if you will just sit down, I'll explain," Beth said calmly, almost too calmly to Marie's thinking.

"Explain, you'll _explain_!" Max yelled, his voice getting higher with each word. "Oh yes great and smart Elizabeth Parker, I mean _Whitman_, by all means enlighten us. Tell us _why_ you've been lying to us. _How _you could betray us not once, but _twice_. It was bad enough you cheated on me sixteen and a half years ago, give or take a few months. Then had the _audacity _to act like nothing had happened. But now we trust you _again_ to find out you've been building some secret war house and _not_ tell us you intend to fight some '_war_' in _hiding_ of all ways!" Max said angrily.

Marie watched as her best friend's face and eyes changed while Max talked. Now her eyes looked dead. She hadn't looked that bad since they left. /-/ Oh is Max going to pay /-/ Marie seethed.

"Back off Max. You have _no _right to say that," Al said, barely controlling his anger as he stood up.

"What was that? _NO Right_? Well, look whose talking. _You're_ as guilty as she is. You lied to Isabel _and_ I all those years ago," Max countered.

"Max stop it," Belle cried standing up. "Can't you let it go? Can't you see how much you are hurting her?" she asked, hoping that would get through him.

"Hurting _her_!" Max yelled

"Maxwell stop this _now_," Mike said walking around Teresa's chair.

"He's right Max. _Stop_ this. Your letting your anger get the best of you," Teresa said getting up and placing her hand on Max's shoulder.

"_Don't_ touch me" Max said through his teeth. Teresa stepped back stunned, and Mike pulled her towards him.

"Max stop this. What _happened_ to you? The Max we thought we knew_ wouldn't_ do this. He wouldn't hurt his friends," Kyle said standing up and walking towards Beth and Teresa.

"You know what? You _don't _know me! The guy you knew in high school changed over there and _died _when I found out she didn't love me anymore. And more than that, she apparently didn't love me then because she _slept_ with someone while I was _still here_, and she had a _child _with Alex," Max yelled, then sarcastically added, "One of the few people I _thought_ I could trust with _anything_,"

Marie looked at Beth, who was getting more upset with everything Max said. This had to stop or she might. "Max stop this _right now_!" Marie yelled standing up with the others.

"Yeah, you're hurting everyone," Cassie said joining her mother

"I don't care. Get it through you heads._ I'm_ hurting, so why shouldn't all of _you_ be hurting as well? "Max cried.

"Max stop this," Jim said getting up and walking behind Beth. "You don't know _what _you can cause."

"What _I _can cause!" Max yelled. "What do you think I'm going to _do_, blow this place to pieces?

"Max _please_. I know your hurting, but you're _not_ the only one. We _all _have pain that we are dealing with. We've _all _dealt with heartache," Beth said standing up very slowly.

/-/ Oh my /-/ Belle thought worriedly/-/ She looks like she's about to pass out /-/

"_Heartache_? You've had to deal with heartache? Well excuse me for _not _believing you. You had _Alex_ all along. So how does _that _qualify as heartache? You probably _never_ even shed a tear for _any_ of us," Max said as Beth's color dropped a few more shades.

/-/ "She gets any whiter, she'll be dead /-/ Mike thought watching Beth.

"That was simply uncalled for Max! You have _no_ idea what she went through after _you_ left," Al yelled

"Don't I? Ha, you are a fool Alex. She was probably _pretending_, so people wouldn't suspect how _happy_ she was!" Max taunted.

"_Stop it_!" Juan yelled, finally standing up, causing everyone else who was already standing to turn and look at him. "Stop this, you're hurting my mom," He began.

"Oh, I'm hurting your mom am I?" Max began. "Well. I don..." Max started before he went flying across the room and hit one of the walls. Max got up slowly, "_Who_ did that?" he asked through gritted teeth. "Michael?

"No Max, it wasn't one of us."

"Cassie?"

"Nope," She said quietly.

"If it wasn't _you_, then who was _it_?" Max yelled walking towards her.

"Me."

The alien trio and Max turned towards Juan. "You?" Max said. "How? Why?"

"I _knew_ it," Teresa said quietly.

"Because you interrupted me,_ and_ you were hurting my mom for no reason," Juan said calmly.

"No reason!" Max yelled.

"You want to try it again?" Juan asked, waiting until Max sat down, quickly followed by everyone else in the room except himself. "Good, I didn't_ think_ so. First of all, Al _is_ my dad, but he's _not_ my biological father. He claimed to be, because my real '_father_' was gone and _never_ coming back. _You_ were gone and never coming back Max," Juan finished sarcastically.

Everyone stared at him in shock, then Beth began to shake.

Al looked at his son, then Max. Max was totally shocked. /-/ Good. Serves him right /-/ he thought. Then Al looked at his wife. /-/ Oh cripes /-/ he thought. "Beth are you alright?" he whispered.

"Al, did we bring it?" she whispered back.

/-/ Oh no/-/ he thought again. Then picked her up. "Juan, we need the medication _now_!" he said quickly.

"I'll go get it," Cassie said running out of the room.

Juan moved past Max and helped Kyle move the table out of the way. Al laid Beth down on the floor and held her hand. "Come on girl. Fight it," He said.

"I...I..I can't..." Beth said as the shaking began to get worse.

"Does she have seizures?" Teresa asked

"Something like that," Marie said.

"Juan, Jim, Kyle grab her legs and arms. Mike we need your help," Al said moving behind her head. Jim and Kyle both grabbed one of Beth's legs. Juan got her left arm and Mike her right.

"What do we do?" Mike asked as Beth's shaking continued to increase in intensity.

"Just hold her arm to the ground so she doesn't hurt herself," Al said holding her head steady.

Beth's shaking began to increase even more, and after about thirty seconds, her body started convulsing as well. "Cassie where the _hell_ are you?" Juan yelled.

"Right here," Cassie said running into the room with a black bag. Marie opened the bag and took out a needle and a bottle of medicine. She quickly measured the dosage and walked over to Juan. Juan and Cassie held Beth's arm as still as possible, while Marie gave her the injection. As soon as Marie removed the needle, Beth's body kind of jumped up, then stopped. Jim looked at his watch and began counting off the seconds in intervals of five. Cassie went into the kitchen and grabbed a plastic container.

"What is going on?" Belle asked. "She's not _breathing_! Do something," She cried as Max started to walk over to Beth.

"Touch her and I'll send you flying across the room," Juan said quietly without looking away from Beth, his voice challenging Max to try something.

"1 minute 30 seconds," Jim said.

"Come on angel, _wake up_!" Al said softly

"1 minute 45 seconds," Jim said

"Alright, get ready," Kyle said as Juan and Marie moved away from Beth and Kyle knelt next to her chest.

Then, all of a sudden Beth's body jerked up as she took a huge breath as if she had been drowning. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at Al. He smiled and brushed the hair out of her face. Then he slowly helped her sit up. After a few seconds, she started to get sick. When she was done, Cassie wiped her face with a wet cloth, and took the bowl out of the room. Once Cassie was gone, Beth curled towards Al and began to cry.

"What the...? What _was_ that?" Max asked.

"Her _curse_, thanks to you," Juan said bitterly. "The everlasting reminder of her pregnancy, her body's _still _trying to fight the DNA _I_ got from _you_."


	11. Learning The Truth

Teresa looked around the room. It had been two hours since Beth's attack. Beth was sleeping upstairs. Marie and Cassie were cooking something, and Jim, Kyle, and Juan were taking care of the horses. Al had just gone upstairs to check on Beth. Mike sat on the couch, and Belle was lying down with her head in his lap. Max sat in one of the chairs, completely shell shocked. Teresa herself, was on the other couch.

"Do you guys have any idea what that was?" Belle asked softly.

"No, but it doesn't make _any_ sense. Why would they lie about Juan? And why does _Beth_ have those attacks? Does _Marie_ have them too?" Mike asked concern in his voice.

"No I don't," Marie said walking into the room. "I haven't had them since Cassie was six months old."

"So it _is _from our DNA?" Max asked

"That's the only thing we could use to explain it. The doctors certainly couldn't explain it," Cassie said joining them and sitting on the floor.

"Why does Beth still have them and you don't? And why did you guys hide Juan's parentage?" Teresa asked

"Because I asked them to," Juan said walking in the room. "Truthfully, I never wanted to meet you. You hurt my mom _a lot_. She's happy now, but there is a difference between my mom and the girl she was in high school."

"Why is she so different?" Belle asked

"Max broke her heart," Al said joining them

"She's the one who walked away," Teresa said

"Yeah, she didn't want to interfere with your world," Marie said

"So why was she hurt so much?" Teresa asked

"Maybe it was because they had a connection none of us had. They shared their souls, we simply shared our hearts," Belle explained.

"What are you saying?" Teresa asked

"When you guys left without a goodbye or anything, we knew that you had left forever. But that was it, and you left us trying to explain where you had gone. Al claimed Juan because he cared about the girls. Amy would have been upset, but she would accept it no questions asked, and help Marie any way she could. The Parker's were _another _story. They would have had a harder time accepting the fact that their daughter was pregnant by a man who was never coming back," Kyle explained

"More than that, you broke her soul. She has changed because her _entire being_ has changed. She started living an _entirely_ different life after you left," Al said bitterly.

"You know it's _impossible_ to break a soul Al. We've gone over this before," Beth said walking into the room.

"What are you doing up? You need your rest," Al said walking over to her.

"We _have _to finish what we brought them here for. We know how you can find the chosen one, _and_ the pod chamber. You _should_ have told us sooner that you couldn't get to it," She said turning and looking at Max.

Max sighed as they got up and followed Beth and Al. He felt terrible. He knew he had really hurt Beth, he didn't even know if she could forgive him this time, or would choose to. And finding out that Juan was his son was adding poison to the wound. On top of all that, his son hated him. And Max _couldn't _blame Juan one bit, he had grown up watching Beth fight what had happened, both physically and mentally. Max looked around the attic, finally noticing where they were. "Why did we come up here?" he asked

"You'll see," Marie said, not bothering to turn around.

Max and the others watched as Beth walked over to one of the walls, and placed her hand against it. After a few seconds, a section of the wall separated from the rest and slid open to reveal a passageway. Beth walked through, quickly followed by everyone except Max and Al. Max walked through and glanced back to see Al close the doorway behind them.

The group followed Beth as she walked for about five minute. Then she opened another door. The group walked through, and the aliens were surprised to find themselves in the pod chamber.

"How did we get here?" Teressa asked, "The caves were behind an electric fence with a no trespassing sign,"

"We created the pathway and blocked the other entrance so no one could possibly get in. and the fence is ours, this is all Grandpa's land," Cassie told them as they looked around.

"You bought all this?" Mike asked surprised.

"Yeah, desert sells pretty cheap, and we had to protect this area from any one who would ask questions," Jim told him.

"Thank you," Max said softly.

"It wasn't for you," Juan said, anger laced in his voice.

"What my son _means_," Beth began emphasizing the words for Juan's sake, "is that it wasn't _just_ for you. It was for _all _of us," She finished, her face dangerously pale once more. Juan looked sheepish for a second, then got his dad's attention, knowing only he could convince his mom to leave.

"Come on, we had better get back. We can finish this later," Al said taking Beth's arm, stopping any argument she would make to the contrary.

The gang made their way back to the house and rode the horses back to the ranch. No one spoke on the trip, and they all went home immediately after returning to the ranch. At the same time, they all were left wondering what the future held.


	12. Surprise Parties and Surprise Guests

Beth Whitman walked around the room. It had been a month since the incident at the safe house. No one had talked about what had happened there, it was an unspoken pact that they wouldn't talk about it. Marie was finishing Cassie's birthday cake in the kitchen, everyone else was looking for a place to hide for when Cassie came home. Juan had taken her to a movie so they could get everything set up and everyone here to surprise her.

"Turn the lights off," Mike called from the front door. Immediately the lights went off, and everyone waited quietly. Beth felt Marie walk next to her a minute later, then they waited. Ten minutes later, lights hit the glass as a car parked. A few minutes later, keys were heard in the front door. As the door opened, the lights went on and everyone shouted surprise.

Cassie looked up in shock as she heard the yell. All around the room was her family and friends. She turned and looked up at Juan who was smiling. Shaking her head lightly, she turned back towards the group as her mom walked over and gave her a hug. "Happy Birthday Sweetheart."

"Thanks mom," She said before being pulled around by her other family members.

Twenty minutes later, her Aunt and mom were pouring drinks in the kitchen when she joined them. "Hi sweetheart," Marie said handing her a coke.

"Hi munchkin," Beth said, "How are you enjoying the party?"

"I love it. Thank you."

"You're welcome, but you should be thanking Mike, he thought of it first," Marie told her.

"Boy, you would think that he has been around forever the way he's been acting the last couple of months," Cassie said softly.

"Well honey, he's proud of you. You're a very well loved girl," Beth told her with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. After all, who couldn't love me?" she teased as she put her drink down.

"Cassie," Juan said walking into the kitchen. "Would you like to dance? Tradition calls," He said with a smile.

"Of course," She told him smiling, "Are you two coming?" she asked her mom and Aunt.

"We wouldn't miss it," Marie said with a smile.

"And I've got the camera," Beth said mischievously.

The four of them walked into the dinning room and saw that Kyle had everything set up. Marie and Beth joined him and Al, while Juan escorted Cassie to the center of a circle created by her friends and family. Everyone watched as the music started and the two of them began to dance slowly. Mike and the other aliens walked over to join the four adults, curious about what was happening.

"Hi," Mike whispered in Marie's ear. "What's going on"

"Tradition. When they were three, they danced at Kyle and Susie's wedding to the song, 'Friends'. Ever since then they have danced to it at Cassie's birthday and Juan always gives her a white rose at the end," Marie explained as the watched the two danced.

"Oh really, that's _so_ neat," Teressa said quietly.

The song ended, and on cue, Juan handed Cassie a white rose. She smiled and everyone clapped. Another song began to play, and the two began to dance once more. Al took Beth's hand and they went out to join their son. Susie and Kyle, along with Amy and Jim joined them, soon followed by other couples from Cassie and Juan's friends.

Max watched as Mike asked Marie to dance, and Chris came over and asked Belle to dance. He watched Al and Beth as they danced for a few seconds. He knew now, they were truly in love. He knew it was time to move on, and he needed to ask their forgiveness. Teressa tapped him on the shoulder, he looked down at her as she asked softly, "Would you like to dance?"

"Yes, I would be honored," He said taking her hand and leading her over to join the others. /-/ Maybe the future had more possibilities than I thought /-/ he thought as he watched Teressa in his arms. Neither of them noticed the smiles directed their way by all of their friends and family.

Everyone was surprised when the music went off a few minutes later. Standing next to the CD player was a guy who looked about twelve years old, with brown hair. Mike took one look at him and told everyone the party was over.

Mike looked at the man who had interrupted his daughter's birthday party. It had been a long time since they had seen him. Luckily, everyone had left immediately after his announcement, except those who knew, and no one had said a word until now.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? The Royal Four associating with lowly humans. Tut, tut, tut," The boy said walking towards them.

"What do you want Nikolaus?" Belle asked

"Oh, but I want the same thing you do. The Chosen One. And you're going to lead me to him. Ta ta for now," Nikolaus said before disappearing in a quick bright light.

"Who was that?" Marie asked sitting down.

"That was Nikolaus," Teressa said as everyone else sat down.

"We gathered that much, but who is he?" Cassie asked

"He's Kivar's second," Mike sighed, "And now he's here,"

"Why is he after the Chosen One, and who exactly is he?" Jim asked

"The Chosen One is the only one truly capable of defeating Kivar. We were told that he is a member of Kivar's family," Belle explained.

When Beth heard this, she dropped about twenty shades in color, but quickly got herself under control before anyone could notice, and her color back before she spoke. "Are you sure? How are you going to find him?" she asked trying to sound calm.

"When we found out about him, they didn't tell us too much. We aren't really sure how we will find him. But, hopefully we will before Nikolaus does," Teressa told them.

"When we left, they told us to follow our hearts. I still don't know what they meant by that, our hearts led us here, but there is no sign of any one like us who is close to our age," Max said standing up. "Well, we may as well call it a night. There's nothing we can do until tomorrow."

"You're right," Marie said as everyone stood up.

"Alright. Happy Birthday Cassie," Max said, then the four of them left after Mike had given Cassie a hug.


	13. The Truth

Beth walked into the safe house. Today was the last day of life as they knew it. Everyone was waiting in the living room. They had finally told Stephanie and Jaime everything. Now she had to tell Max, Mike, Bell, and Teressa the complete truth. Juan and Cassie had come and told them it was time the night before.  
  
She sat down and looked at their four friends who were so trusting in their own way. Max had apologized for the way he had acted. They had forgiven him, or at least she had. Al and Juan were still dealing with their anger towards Max. She felt terrible knowing what they were about to do. They would never forgive the nine of them for this.  
  
"Beth, what is it? You look like you've seen a ghost." Teressa asked after the silence had continued for several minutes.  
  
"There's something we need to tell you. But first, you have to tell us everything you know about the Chosen One."  
  
"Well, he's a member of Kivar's family, and was sent to earth like us. We were told to follow our hearts and we would find him. And there is some prophecy supposably about him." Mike told them  
  
"What is the prophecy?" Jim asked.  
  
"When evil rules Antar once more, one will rise of blood and strength. Defeating the evil through love and blood, peace will return from Inish above." Belle recited from memory.  
  
"Do you guys understand what it means?" Marie asked.  
  
"Well, the evil is Kivar, and the first mention of blood means family. From there we have no idea." Max explained.  
  
"Alright, now there is something we have to tell you, and please understand we kept it a secret for good reason." Beth began before the door came flying open. In the doorway stood Nikolaus and another man about Mike's height with raven black hair and black eyes.  
  
"Well, well. Looks like I was right. You would lead us to the Chosen One. Kivar can sense power here in Roswell, and I can sense it in the building. Besides the four of you and little Micky's half ling daughter." Nikolaus said walking into the room, leaving the other man by the door.  
  
"What are you talking about Nikolaus? The Chosen One isn't here." Max said walking towards him  
  
"He must be. I can sense another with powers, another of our kind. And it's him." Nikolaus said, shooting a burst of energy that sent Juan flying, then another that brought Juan to him.  
  
"No!" Cassie yelled, as Kyle grabbed her before she could do something foolish; and Beth collapsed into Al's arms.  
  
"Let him go Nikolaus. He isn't the Chosen One. He's my son." Belle said quickly before Max could.  
  
"Your son. Not possible." Nikolaus said with a laugh.  
  
"I had him before I returned to Antar. My friends' raised him for me." She said continuing the farce.  
  
"It's true." Beth said standing on her own again. "I can't have children, so I raised Isabel's and my husband's son."  
  
Nikolaus turned to his companion while still holding Juan up in the air. "Contact Kivar. Tell him to scan the boy."  
  
A moment later the man started talking in a slightly odd voice. "What do you want Nikolaus? I was resting."  
  
"I'm sorry my liege, but is this boy the Chosen One?"  
  
"No you fool." The voice yelled, "Don't you ever listen. The Chosen One is my sister. That boy is a member of the Royal Four's line. Now get back here!"  
  
"This isn't over boy." Nikolaus said as he sent Juan flying once more, before he and his now silent companion left.  
  
"Are you alright Juan?" Belle asked as he stood up  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Good cover."  
  
"Thank you Belle." Beth said calmly, then surprised everyone when she sunk to the floor in a faint. 


	14. The Whole Truth

Beth slowly became conscious once more. She looked up to see Al leaning over her. "Are you okay? You scared me half to death angel."

"I'm fine. The shock just got to me. Luckily I was able to wait until after they left."

"I know. Here, let me help you up," he said. A minute later she was sitting on the couch once more.

"Beth, are you okay?" Max asked concerned.

"Yes," She said softly.

"Beth, is what you said true, that you can't have children?" Belle asked softly

"Yeah, because of the attacks. But I wouldn't trade Juan for twenty kids," She said smiling at him. "Anyways, we know who the Chosen One is."

"You do? _How_?" Mike asked leaning forward.

"Well, Nikolaus just confirmed our suspicions, but let me explain. Kivar's sister's name is Sashenna. They were twins, and grew up as best friends. Their father and mother were both great sorcerers, from a long line on both sides. When Sashenna was born minutes after him, Kivar lost his birthright of inheriting their powers and it was passed to her. When Kivar decided to take over Antar, he knew that if he had those powers, he would be unstoppable. So, he killed her, or at least that's what he thought.

"She lived long enough for her father to find her and use the process they would later use on the four of you, to send her to earth. Except, she was sent so she would leave the pod as a baby, and was intended to be raised by a guardian named Katrina. After Sasheena left the pod, Katrina took her, but had to hide her when one of Kivar's warriors showed up. When she returned Sasheena was gone. That was some thirty-three years ago" Marie told them.

"How do you know all this?" Max asked in shock.

"Sashenna told us, with the help of Katrina," Cassie said quietly.

"But who is Sasheena?" Belle asked still confused.

"I am," Beth said softly.

**:-:-: **

Mike walked around the building. It had been an hour since Beth's revelation. "Mike?"

Mike turned and saw Marie standing a few feet away. "Hi."

"I'm sorry," She said walking over to him

"It's not your fault. It wasn't your place to tell."

"No, I know that. I'm sorry for something else."

"What is it? Mike asked, noticing the tears in her eyes.

"I should have told you before you left. I suspected I was pregnant; it was just a feeling, but I still should have said something,"

"Oh Maria," Mike said reverting back to her old name. "It's okay. It's not your fault. I know now, and that's all that matters," He said pulling her into his arms. After a few minutes Marie stepped back and the two began to walk.

"Do you ever wonder what our lives would be like if you guys never left?" Marie asked

"Well, Max and Beth would be married, as would Belle and Al. But I don't think that's what you meant, is it?" Mike said.

"No," Marie said quietly, unsure of what would come.

Mike stopped walking and looked at her. "If I had known how much I would miss you, I never would have left. Everyday I was there, I imagined what our lives would be like here. I saw our wedding and our children. I saw us growing old together, and I never would have regretted a thing,"

"Oh space boy. I saw the same things. But I thought they were only dreams."

"They don't_ have_ to be. We already have one piece of those dreams in Cassie. Marie Deluca-Valenti, I love you, I_ always_ have and _always_ will. Please say you'll marry me?"

"Oh Michael. I love you too. And yes I'll marry you," she cried as she hugged him. Mike kissed her soundly, then they went inside to tell everyone the good news.


	15. And Nothing But The Truth

It had been two days since Mike and Marie's announcement. Beth was happy for them. Cassie and the others were ecstatic. Even Juan was happy about it. They were acting like a normal, safe family. And Beth was determined to keep them that way. No matter what the cost.

The clock said one a.m. when she left the note on the kitchen counter. No one would be up for six hours. By then she would be far enough ahead to outrun them. Quietly she got Fire Star, and untied one of the extra horses they had brought. As she mounted Fire Star, she adjusted the cape that Katrina had given her thirteen years earlier, and let the other horse go, knowing he would head towards home. She herself went in the other direction.

**:-:-: **

Juan walked downstairs. He wasn't sure why he had woken up, but since he couldn't sleep he figured he might as well do something downstairs. Turning the light on, he noticed a white piece of paper. He picked it up and began to read.

_My dearest loved ones, _

_By the time you read this, I'll already be gone. I know what I have to do. I know you'll try to follow me, and telling you not to is useless, but don't follow me. This is my fight. My destiny. My revenge for all the pain and hurt he has brought on me, my home, and all of you. _

_Juan, Cassie the visions lied. I've lied all these years. I never told you my real visions. The prophecy is true. Everything it says is what must happen. Love is the love I have for all of you, and blood. well that's my problem Please forgive me. Al, I love you with all my heart. Forgive Max. And Juan, I love you my little one. Get to know Max, you have more in common then you know. I'm sorry _

_Beth _

Juan stared at the letter for a second, then began to yell at the top of his lungs. "Dad! Cassie! Everyone get down here! Mom's gone!"

Al came running downstairs, quickly followed by everyone else. "Juan, what's going on? It's one-thirty on the morning," Al began. "And where's your mom?"

"She's gone. Look," Juan said handing him the letter.

Al read it then looked up at everyone. "She's gone to fight Kivar. What is that prophecy, word for word."

"When evil rules Antar once more, one will rise of blood and strength. Defeating the evil through love and blood, peace will come from Inish above," Belle recited once more.

"Alright, we know that the evil is Kivar, and the first blood is her. She says that Love is the love she says for all of us, and she knows what blood is, but she won't say. What about the other two?" Al said as he paced.

"How do you spell Inish?" Juan asked

"I-N-I-S-H. Why?" Teressa asked

"Oh no! We have to get mom's journal now," Juan said running upstairs.

Everyone looked at each other then followed him to Al and Beth's room. Juan was digging in the dresser, finally pulling out a wooden box.

Juan looked at his dad and asked, "Where's the key?"

"With your mom," Al said quietly, despair beginning to enter his voice.

"We have to get it open now," Juan told them.

"Let me," Mike said walking over to Juan.

"No!" Marie cried, but too late as Mike went flying across the room.

"What the hell is that thing?" he asked standing up and rubbing his head.

"It's protected," Cassie began, suddenly the box began to glow and Juan set it down. A mist began to rise from the box forming the shape of a woman. The woman became fully visible, and the four Czechs looked at her in shock. She had long blonde hair and what could have been green eyes, except that she was transparent.

"Who dares to try and open Sashenna's chest?" the woman asked, anger evident in her voice.

"Katrina, we need to get into mom's journal," Juan said stepping in front of the others.

"You know me Sason? How is that possibly, you were but three when I became guardian of the chest."

"We see you in our visions. We always have," Cassie said stepping next to Juan.

"Of course 'Sie. That does make sense. The man who tried to open the box, your father?" Katrina asked

"Yes,"

"I see, then the Royal Four have returned. Why? Kivar still lives."

"We had to find the Chosen One," Teressa explained.

"What Chosen One Ava? And why? You were strong enough to defeat Kivar."

"No, the elders who sent us back said Kivar had gained powers by killing some of the other sorcerers. And the Chosen One was the one spoke of in the prophecy of Kanare," Max told her.

"The prophecy of Kanare?! _Tell _me you did not tell Sashenna the prophecy," Katrina cried.

"We did," Belle said softly.

"Oh no! _Where_ is she?"

"We don't know, all we know is that she went to fight Kivar," Juan explained.

"No, you _have _to stop her. The prophecy explains the visions she has had for thirteen years. I _prayed_ she would never learn it," Katrina said, worry evident in her voice.

"Why Katrina?" Al asked

"Only she can fight Kivar because of the blood they share. And she gains her strength from the love of her family gone before _and _the love she has for all of you. But there is only one way to _truly_ destroy Kivar."

"How?" Jim asked

"Through _Tanack_. Death blood of twins."

"Death blood of twins, what does that mean?" Belle asked before she realized the truth and gasped in shock.

"You mean that the only way to defeat Kivar is for Beth to die?" Al asked his voice dead.

"Yes. You _have_ to stop her. The fight will happen in Frazier Woods. _Hurry_!" Katrina said as they all went running out of the room. Minutes later she heard the horses as they started off for the woods. Katrina prayed they would get here in time, as she went back to the chest, anger once more filled her being, and she knew the time had come to finally tell the elders of Antar exactly how she felt about everything they had done to Sasheena and herself.


	16. Remembering Home

Beth stopped at the entrance to Frazier Woods; she looked back the way she had come. She knew that this would be the last time that she would ever see the home she loved. But, even though today she would see her last sunrise, at least her family would see the sunset, and many more throughout their lifetimes. She turned Fire Star back to the woods, and began the long path to the place where he waited.

As they traveled, Beth thought back over the life she had left on Antar all those years earlier. Her father had always said she and Kivar were meant for greater destinies than lives on Antar would allow. She had always thought Papa had meant they were destined to live in Lacanna, the birthplace of Kanare the Great, her kingdom, the kingdom she was to rule, while Kivar would live in Antar. Lacanna was so different from Antar, even though both kingdoms existed in the same space, but the magical barrier protected Lacanna, so Antarians never saw it, unless invited. She thought the greatest thing there could be was to have a Prince of Lacanna in Antar, and a Princess ruling Lacanna, she would have been the first.

Now she knew that what he meant was much different. Growing up she never dreamed that Kivar would become envious of her place as heir to the powers of Kanare. He had always been the older brother she looked up to, who protected her from everything that would bring her harm. They had spent their childhood racing on Fire Star and Night Star, twin sorcerer horses, blessed under the same star that she and Kivar had been born under.

Then, everything changed after their thirteenth summer, when she began her training. Kivar was sent to train as a warrior with Zan and Rath. When they returned home after three summers, she knew everything had changed. She felt it in her spirit. No one believed her though, except Katrina. But Katrina's place in life was to protect her, so Katrina always was the first to believe Sasheena's feelings. And, over the three years they had been together, that had proved to be a blessing as Sasheena's visions were never wrong. But, even she began to doubt the truth of her visions about Kivar. For two summers nothing happened, until Zan's coronation. Zan became king, naming Rath as his second. Kivar was furious, he wanted to be Zan's second. She had tried to explain that it only made sense that the position would go to Zan's best friend, but Kivar refused to listen. Zan knew of Kivar's feelings, and tried to make amends. But Kivar refused to let things go.

Kivar knew the best way to hurt Zan was through his sister. So, Kivar seduced Velondria, and made plans as to how he could bring down Zan and claim the throne through Velondria. When she learned of the plot, she confronted him, after sending a letter to Zan telling him of Kivar's treachery. When Kivar learned that his sister knew and had informed Zan, he knew that now more than ever he needed the powers of Karnare to achieve his goal. She had underestimated her brother's hatred against her, so when he pulled out their father's sword, she never thought he would actually use it. Until she felt the pain of death come. Then, she finally understood why he had a ceremonial fire built on the alter. And she did the only thing she could to ensure that he never receive the powers. Stepping back with the strength she still possessed, she had stepped off the cliff. She still remembered his scream as the powers he craved slipped from his grasp.

She learned the truth of what happened after her first death when Katrina found her again. Father was the one who had created the process used on Zan, Rath, Velondria, and Ava. When she died, he sensed it, and got to her body before Kivar could. He sent her to Earth in the hope that one day she could return and destroy his son's evil. For, by the time the process was done, Kivar had achieved his goal. He had killed Zan and the others; Velondria had let him into the castle. Zan had not told her of the letter, so she believed he was still the man that he had made her believe him to be.

She was the first to die, he killed Ava and her unborn child while Zan was forced to watch. Zan he killed with the king's sword, the same blade he used to kill Rath after showing him how he had failed his King. The Queen mother had begged her father to use the process on the four of them in the hopes that they would return and rescue their people.

Father did, though he was not able to complete the process as well as he had with her. He sent them so that they would appear to be six years old, and they would grow up with their powers. For her, he was able to make her appear as a baby, and she would not know of my powers until she was eighteen. Now, at last, it was time for her to avenge the suffering of her people. And this time she know not to underestimate her older brother.

Beth finally entered the clearing that sparkled in the moonlight, the place of where Antarian's magical essence existed on this world. Even if they had followed her, she knew Al and the others would not find her before the battle started. There were too many clearings to search, and Fire Star never left footprints, her gift as a sorceress' horse of Antar. She glanced up at the moon, and stopped Fire Star. Softly she began to utter the prayer of strength and guidance passed down through countless generations of Antarian sorcerer's who had fought for all they loved. Looking back at the forest she finally was ready.

"Kivar, son of Kanare, great sorcerer of Antar; I challenge you," her voice rang loud and clear through the woods.

"I accept your challenge, Sasheena, daughter of Kanare," A strong male voice echoed through the woods. Beth looked in front of her to see her brother sitting upon Night Star.


	17. Interuptions

Al and the others finally approached Frazier Woods. They had still not seen any tracks showing Beth had come this way, but they trusted Katrina's knowledge.

"Dad, how are we going to find her? She could be anywhere," Juan said as they entered the trees.

"I don't know. You and Cassie try and see if you can sense her. We may have to..." Al began, until they heard Beth's voice.

"Kivar, son of Kanare, great sorcerer of Antar; I challenge you."

"That's her. We have to get to her before he does," Cassie cried.

"I accept your challenge, Sasheena, daughter of Kanare," A male voice echoed through the forest.

"Too late," Cassie whispered. Everyone looked at each other, then took off at a run towards the voices, each praying they would find them in time.

**:-:-: **

"Hello little sister. It's been a _long_ time," Kivar said as Night Star walked further into the clearing.

"That it has brother, that it has. I see that you brought that foolish second of yours," Beth said pointing at Nikolaus who stood a few feet away from Kivar.

"Yes. But, why do you call him foolish?" Kivar asked leaning forward on his horse.

"Because, he thought the boy was me, when I was in the room with him," She said with a smile. "Ironic isn't it Nikolaus?"

"You? I don't remember you being there," Nikolaus told her.

"Really?" Beth asked as she removed her hood. "What about now? You know, you were closer than you thought to finding the Chosen One. Considering you went after _my son_," Beth said, her voice showing the anger she felt.

"Your son? But he was Velondria's son," Nikolaus cried as he noticed Kivar turn to him, anger in his eyes.

"You let her go! _How_ could you make such a stupid mistake!" Kivar growled.

"But my lord, you yourself said that he _wasn't_ the Chosen One, that he was a member of the Royal Four's line," Nikolaus said backing away from Kivar.

"That was true as well, you see, my son is _also _the son of Zan," Beth said with a chuckle, "So you see Nikolaus, you made a _bigger_ mistake than you thought,"

"You let my sister's _son_; who, will not _only _inherit the powers I want, but is _also_ the heir to the_ two_ thrones I hold; _go_!" Kivar cried as he lifted his hand, causing Nikolaus to rise from the ground. "Nikolaus, you have failed me _one_ too many times!" Kivar yelled, before Nikolaus disappeared into thin air, leaving one tiny ash to float to the ground.

"I see you have gained some powers brother. How did you manage that?" Beth asked nonchalant.

"Let's just say that our families lost a few members," Kivar said with a laugh. "Fortunately for me, they didn't have any heirs to claim their powers."

Beth shook her head slightly at the knowledge of how much her brother had truly changed. "Well, that makes no difference. Let's get this over with. But first, to make sure that this is a fair fight, all of your men must leave the clearing."

"Fair enough," Kivar said raising his hand, and several men jumped down from the trees and left the area.

"Good, now let's begin."

"Fine, go ahead," Kivar said as he jumped down from his horse.

"Beth!"

Beth and Kivar turned towards the voice to see Al and the other's standing at the edge of the clearing.

"Oh hell," Beth said quietly as Kivar began to laugh, an evil laugh.


	18. The End of the Beginning

Juan looked from his mom to Kivar. The similarities between them were incredible. His Grandfather must have really known what he was doing when he created the new body for his mother. His mom looked like she had when Katrina had first come, her raven brown hair back after all these years. It was long like it had been thirteen years earlier, ending just above her knees. Her normally pale blue eyes once more held the ice they had when they had first changed color, when he was only three.

Looking at her now, he didn't see his mother, but the woman she once was, a sorceress and princess of Lacanna. She sat upon Fire Star bareback, the sunset red cape given to her by Katrina flowing from her shoulders and resting along Fire Star's body until it flowed with her tail.

Kivar had the same hair and eyes as Beth, and a cape like hers, but of midnight blue. But their similarities were more than just in their hair and eyes. They truly did look like twins, their features almost identical, except Beth's looked a bit more feminine, and Kivar's more masculine.

"Well Sasheena, if this isn't a _surprise_. You were worried about _my_ men interfering with our battle," Kivar said as he walked towards Beth.

"I wasn't _expecting_ them to find me Kivar. Katrina must have told them where we would be. But, _that _could be expected, _considering _you told everyone the prophecies of old," Beth told him as he stopped next to her side.

"Well, what _else_ was I suppose to do sister. Let them think I was a _weakling_ who knew _nothing_. How else was I to _prove _that I was a son of Kanare," Kivar said as he grabbed her arm and took the knife she held within her cloak.

"Well, _what _do we have here? Were you planning on performing the Tanack? Sister, you should _know_ I would be expecting that," He said softly as he grabbed her arm once more and slid the blade along her skin, watching the trail of blood grow.

"_Stop_!" Juan cried stepping forward.

"Ah yes, my _nephew_. You and I have business to deal with after your mother's death. I intend to _regain_ my birthright, and no _teenage bastard_ is going to take it from me," Kivar said before Juan went flying across the clearing.

"_No_!" Beth cried as she wretched her arm free from Kivar and Fire Star ran across the clearing to where Juan lay. Jumping down she carefully lifted Juan's head to rest in her lap. "Juan?" she whispered.

"Mom?" Juan said softly as his eyes slowly opened.

"Hey little one," Beth said with a smile. "_Why_ did you come?" she asked, her voice breaking.

"We couldn't let you go. We _need_ you mom."

"No little one. No matter _what_ happened, I would _always_ have been with you. I_ have_ to do this. I can't live knowing I could have spared you _any _pain at his hands. _Listen _to me Juan. You _have _to go. _All _of you. This is _my _fight, I have to end the legacy I was unable to end before it started. My _people _need to be free, as do all of you. Now I'm going to put you on Fire Star, She is going to leave the clearing and your father's and the other's horses will follow her. _Don't _stop her until you reach the safe house, no matter what. _Promise me_!"

"Alright mom. I promise," Juan said quietly.

"Good. I love you my son," Beth said as she kissed his forehead. She stood up and helped him get on Fire Star. "Hey girl," She said rubbing Fire Star's nose. "Take them home."

Beth stepped back and looked at Juan, then she slapped Fire Star on her rump and watched as the two of them took off. As Fire Star ran pass the other horses they turned and began to run after her. Al tried to jump down, only to learn that he was unable. "_Beth_!" he yelled as he rode out of sight.

Beth turned to Kivar who was smiling. "You're only prolonging the inevitable Sasheena."

"No brother, _you _are," Beth said as she raised the arm he had cut in the air. "It's _over _Kivar," She cried. The last thing she saw was the look on Kivar's face as he realized his mistake.


	19. Epilogue

Juan Alexander Whitman watched as his fiancé walked down the aisle towards him. Juan looked around the small chapel for his loved ones, his father sat in the first row on the right side. Ever since his mother's death nine years earlier, things had changed a great deal. The adults had started going by their true names again, and had reunited with their families. Alex Whitman had been different since that day in the woods. He was never truly able to deal with the loss of his wife, but he tried to be a good father and friend. 

Next to Alex sat his other dad, Max. Max and Tess had married the year after the battle. They had two children now, Emily was seven; and Alex was six. Max had finished law school, and had been running his own office for a year. Tess had retired from cashier work, and helped with the Crashdown. She sat on the left side with Maria.

Maria and Michael had been married six months after the final battle. Liz's message had come in handy over the years, they were expecting their sixth child next month, already having two sets of twins. The oldest, Majandra, who they called Maja, and Brendan were eight, Colin and Sean were five. Michael had his own security company now, and Maria was preparing to settle down and just be a stay at home mom. She was giving the Crashdown to Juan as a wedding present. She said Liz would have wanted him to have it.

Susie and Kyle sat with Jim, Amy, Maria, and Tess on the left side of the church. Susie and Kyle had had two more children in the past years, Nick was eight, and Amy was five. Stephanie was twenty now. She was studying drama and music at the local collage. Jaime was eighteen now, and graduating in June. She already had a full scholarship to Harvard, she had found all of Liz's old notebooks on Molecular Biology when she was thirteen, and had become fascinated. Her dream was the same as Liz's had been all those many years ago. The two of them were both bridesmaids, and were already standing across from him.

Isabel and her husband sat with Max. She and Chris hadn't lasted long. But, less than two months after their breakup, she met Jessie. The two had married six years earlier, and she was expecting her third child any day. Their first two, twins, were five. Jason and Katherine were just like Isabel and Max had been as children. Jessie knew the truth, though the rest of his family was kept in the dark for now. He was a doctor at Roswell Memorial with Alex, and Isabel had indeed become a nurse, specializing in neonatal care. She loved working with newborns, and their parents.

Juan paused as he sensed a familiar presence. He looked to the back of the chapel and saw his mother. She smiled when he noticed her. She had appeared during major events in their lives since her death that day nine years earlier...

They had just left Frazier Woods when they saw the light from the center of the forest, a single star seemed to have fallen as the sun rose. At least, that's what other people in the area had thought. The light was really Kivar's forces returning to Antar. Although, they never made it. Kivar's forces had been brought here by the magic he had gained through his treachery. And, when Kivar died, his powers ceased to exist. Everything he had done on Antar, disappeared in that moment.

Katrina had been on Antar when it happened, she went there to confront the council and Kanare about what they had done. She was in the middle of a very unladylike speech when they felt the change, and watched as the land they loved changed back to the way it was before Kivar had destroyed everything. Only then did she learn that Kanare and the council had done what they did for a reason, if Kivar's death had happened any other way, Lacanna, Antar, and the other four planets would still be in ruin. Katrina had looked at her mistress's father and the other members of the council, and had left. Kanare understood why she had left, and forbade the other council members from holding it against her.

Katrina had returned to the safe house and told them what she had learned, she had gone with them when they went to get Beth's body. Katrina led them to her, and they were slightly shocked to find her looking like the same Beth she had been for many years. Juan had turned to Katrina wondering how that could be, but, Katrina was gone. As was Fire Star, everyone looked around wondering where she had gone, let alone the horse. Then they had seen them.

**:-:-: _Flashback_ :-:-:**

Across the clearing was Fire Star, with Beth astride her. Beth looked as she had that night, except she wore a different outfit, under her cape was a dress they had never seen. It was looked like a medieval dress, but the fabric was like none they had ever seen. It appeared to flow like water over a waterfall, cascading in layers and ripples. It was a blue, so sky like that her eyes seemed to glow, and was of a see through material, but at the same time it wasn't. The sleeves were one piece that fell from her shoulders, becoming wider along her arms. The sleeves lay along Fire Star's side, ending just past Fire Star's stomach. Her hair was flowing along her back, with a single section along her right shoulder, and it too was different than last night, longer and curlier. The single section was almost as long as her sleeve, and was now truly raven in color. The hair along her back traveled in waves, but not really waves. The curl in her hair wasn't like Maria's had been, but in a way it was, the single section was one seemingly endless ringlet, with ribbons the same blue as her dress, interweaved within it. But, the rest of her hair seemed to be in ringlets, except there were hundreds of them, so long, that they reached past her back and cascaded along with her cape and disappeared into Fire Star's tail.

All along the hair on her back were similar ribbons to the first, and flowers that seemed to bloom in her hair, various sizes of a flower that reminded Juan of a rose, but at the same time he knew it wasn't a rose. The flowers were a white that was so pure in color, they seemed to glow from within. And, on top of her head was a crown, the crown, too, seem to be a part of her hair. It was gold, but unlike any crown every made on earth. It looked like various strands of gold came from her hair and weaved themselves together, and separating in other strands so it began to form a triangular shape pointing towards the heavens. Everywhere there were sections where openings were left and her hair could be seen through them. At the very tip of the crown was a stone almost like a diamond in design, but, was a shade of blue unlike any on earth or ever seen in the universe. It was almost the same color as her eyes, but was in a way, darker and lighter at the same time.

Nothing they had ever seen prepared them for the sight before them. Even Fire Star looked different. Her coat was glossier, and her mane and tail were the same color as Beth's. Her coat, though still white, appeared, like the flowers to shine from within. And, intertwined in her hair were ribbons with flowers. The ribbons were different shades of red that appeared in fire, and the white flowers glowed like tiny stars.

Next to Beth and Fire Star, Katrina sat astride another horse. Her hair was indeed blonde, and traveled along her back to join the tail of her horse. Unlike Beth's it was so straight that most people would have thought it impossible to get hair that straight, and it was so blonde, that it was really silver rather than blonde. Her eyes were a shade of green, almost like that of the purest emerald you could ever find. They seemed to glow and sparkle as if from an inner source of light. She wore a dress similar to Beth's, although the sleeves were much shorter, and it was green rather than blue.

Her horse had hair the same color as her own, and was so black that it shined. At her side was a sword much like those used in medieval times, but slimmer, and was of a metal that appeared almost red in hue.

Beth and Katrina moved towards them, and, though it seemed like forever to the group, it was only a matter of moments. Everyone watched almost in awe as they moved towards them, the horses seeming to move on air. They stopped a few feet away from the group and waited. No one spoke until, at last, Alex did.

"Beth? _How_? Why?" he asked softly. "You look _beautiful_."

"Thank you Alex. It doesn't matter anymore love, our names are ours again. I came to say goodbye for now. And to let everyone know about Antar. Juan, you are the heir to the throne of Lacanna, but, you will never have to claim it. You can stay on earth for the rest of your life, or, if you wish, you can visit Antar. I would suggest you all do it once in your lifetimes, it's a beautiful place.

"Max, you don't have to return either, but, one of your children will. Larrick can rule the kingdom in trust, but one of our children will have to become king or queen. Unfortunately, you will not get to decide. It will be up to your children, they will know who is the one. You too will know, because they'll know from birth. They will live on earth, but a part of them will be a part of Antar. It's in their blood. Nothing can change it, no matter how much you wish it could.

"I can't stay long, I'm needed back in Lacanna."

"What, how?" Juan asked softly

"I died here, but my spirit is free in a way. I was destined to rule Lacanna, and now I shall. When all of you die, you can come to Lacanna, and live there in peace. There are things you never learned of the land where I was born. You have heard of Inish, and of Lacanna. What you don't know is that they are one in the same.

"Lacanna is where the Sorcerers travel to when they die, and Inish is where everyone else travels to. They exist within the same place, except the Sorcerers help lead the people. It is just like life was before, the Sorcerers help people without directly interfering in their lives. Lacanna is just a continuation of the life before, but without illness or evil. Those who were evil in their first life cannot enter Inish, unless the repent of their ways. They travel to a place no one wishes to go.

"There are two gods in our world, the Father of all, and Him, the leader of darkness. He gets those who are evil, and tries to create more evil. The Father wants to protect people, and leads the sorcerers to do so. But, he knows that ultimately it is the choice of_ every _person, and so the sorcerers who follow him do as they have for as long as any can remember. We try to show the people the right way, and help them whenever there is need, but do not make them do anything that they do not _wish _to do."

"Sashenna, we must go soon," Katrina said softly.

"I know," She replied turning towards Katrina, then looked back at her loved ones. "If you visit Antar, you cannot visit Lacanna, but, I will watch you all. And, whenever something important takes place, I'll be there. I promise. Now, I have a few things I want to tell each of you. Jim and Amy, thank you for being you, you showed me the love that my own parents could not give me. I'll always love you both.

"Kyle, we've been through a lot in our lifetime. Ever since that first summer. Even when I broke your heart, you still supported me. You helped me remember who I was. Thank you. You have an amazing family. Your daughters will constantly surprise you, and they will be amazing women in their own right. And, your son will finally break family tradition, and become an amazing man."

"Liz, are you sure, we don't have a son," Susie said softly wondering if Liz was well.

"_Yet_," Liz said with a smile. "Isabel, you are an _amazing_ women. Through everything that has happened in your life, you have found the strength to survive. That strength makes you who you are. And, will help you in the years to come. You want to help people in a field that includes much heartbreak, and your strength will help you survive. As will have your family, your little blessing on earth. Someday this will make sense though it does not now," Liz finished and Isabel smiled.

"Michael, I wish you and Maria all the happiness in the world. And all the patience. Remember, not all mountains can be climbed, and not all molehills are mountains. Take care of Maria. She may not want to admit it, but she needs you," Liz said with a wink.

"Tess, we never got a chance to be truly close, but I know that you are a kind and wonderful person. Enjoy the life ahead of you, and all it's surprises. You have the family that you sought for so long, remember that they will always love you.

"Max, trust your heart. What you have lost is nothing compared to what you will gain. The future has yet to be determined, you do make your own destiny, regardless of what is seen and not seen. Let your heart live, let _yourself _live. You will find happiness unlike you have _ever_ known," She said with a smile, glad to see Max smiling in return, _really_ smiling.

"Maria, my dearest friend, finally the life we always dreamed about is yours, enjoy it. Don't mourn for me as I know you could. Life is to be lived to the fullest, _not_ spent in pain and anguish. Too many years have passed that way for us. Take care my friend." Liz finished with a smile that Maria returned.

"Cassie, so much awaits you. The world is yours to explore. Don't let _anything_ stop you. Nothing is truly lost, and everything that is true, is _always_ yours. Don't grow up for the sake of growing up. Live life to the fullest. And let _no one_ tell you that anything is impossible"

"Juan, my little one. I know that you don't want to believe that I'm gone. But there is so much around the corner waiting for you. Find it, _let_ the past go. So many people love you, _let _them love you, and learn to love _them _in return. The future is yours, you are free of all that tried to claim you before. Find your place, and let life control itself. I'll _always_ love you.

"Alex, I love you. _Always _remember that. No matter how hard lives seems, I'm _always_ there, and I'll be waiting for you. But, don't you _dare _come before it is truly your time. Stay and watch our son grow. He _needs_ you now. Let the anger go, let yourself become who you were _meant_ to be. _Please,_" Liz ended softly, her eyes pleading him to listen.

Behind them the sun began to rise, Liz looked towards it. "I must go. Remember all I've said, and don't hold anything against Antar for this. I love you all," She said with a small smile.

Katrina turned her horse, and Liz began to follow, but stooped long enough to reach down and run her fingers softly along Alex's cheek, and run them along Juan's hair. "Goodbye," She whispered to them both as they stood side by side. The two of them turned and galloped towards the sunrise, as they reached the edge of the clearing they seemed to disappear completely. Alex turned and picked up her body. As they left the clearing, they left behind all the hiding and the secrets. A new day had begun.

**:-:-:_ End Flashback _:-:-:**

Liz lifted one hand and two doves appeared. The doves flew to the front of the room and landed on the steps. Everyone looked at them in surprise while Juan smiled. His mother waved once then shimmered away. Those who didn't know about them smiled thinking the doves were planned. But, his family knew different, and smiled, knowing Liz had given her blessing. Juan looked up as his soon to be father-in-law handed him his fiancé's hand. Juan smiled as she lifted her veil and the song 'Friends' began to play. Tradition continued once more, both knowing the song was another gift from Liz. They turned to the minister who began.

"We have gathered here today to join Juan Alexander Whitman and Cassandra Marie Guerin in holy matrimony."


End file.
